Roll train switch

ABSTRACT

A switch for roll trains wherein goods moving along a main conveyor can be diverted by the switch onto another conveyor. The switch comprises a plurality of rolls, each roll having a length shorter than the length of the main conveyor rolls. Each of the shorter rolls is pivotally mounted above a track on a pin extending therethrough. The pins are eccentrically connected to movable roll setting levers positioned beneath the tracks. Movement of the levers is operative to turn or pivot each of the connected rolls and cause goods conveyed along the main track to be diverted on to another track.

[ Jan. 15, 1974 ROLL TRAIN SWITCH [76] Inventor: Karl Stumpf, Worringerstr. 78,

Goethestrasse 7, Dusseldorf, Germany 221 Filed: Oct. 15,1971

121 Appl.No.:189,600

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 24, 1970 Germany G 70 47 680.1

[52] U.S. Cl. 193/36 [51] Int. Cl. B65g 13/10 [58] Field of Search 193/36 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,516,409 11/1924 Scott; 193/36 3,400,988 9/1968 Hudson et a1.... 193/37 X 3,202,258 8/1965 lsaksen 193/37 X 2,794,529 6/1957 Schmitz 193/36 2,613,790 10/1952 Schottelkotte... 193/36 1,660,327 2/1928 Evans 1'93/36 3,272,298 9/1966 Cato 193/36 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,417,770 10/1965' France 193/36 16,093 7/1907 Great Britain.. 193/36 1,244,386 9/1959 France 193/36 Primary Examiner-Evon C. Blunk Assistant ExaminerW. Scott Carson Attorney-D. C. Roylance et a1.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT A switch for roll trains wherein goods moving along a main conveyor can be diverted by the switch onto another conveyor. The switch comprises a plurality of rolls, each roll having a length shorter than the length of the main conveyor rolls. Each of the shorter rolls is pivotally mounted above a track on a pin extending therethrough. The pins are eccentrically connected to movable roll setting levers positioned beneath the tracks. Movement of the levers is operative to turn or pivot each of the connected rolls and cause goods conveyed along the main track to be diverted on to another track.

4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 ROLL TRAIN SWITCH This invention relates generally to switches for roll trains and more particularly it relates to switches for diverting goods moving along'a main conveyor to a branch conveyor, or vice versa.

A known switch for roll trains comprises a plurality h of rolls that can be pivoted together between stationary supplementary rolls on a frame structure that corresponds to a switch. The pivotal rolls are in the area of the straight switch piece. These rolls are of different lengths, corresponding to the form of the arc of the switch, and their pivot pins are eccentrically disposed. This construction does not allow the formation of switches of different widths from structural units. The switches must be designed for the different roll train widths in question, and for this reason, they require a relatively high expenditure of labor. According to another construction, rolls are articulatedly incorporated between two parallel opposedly displaceable bearing strips, which set themselves at a slant through opposing displacement of the side pieces. The material being conveyed then runs on from the main conveyor web onto the subconveyor. This switch has the disadvantage that its length increases with the width of the roll train, and the material being conveyed does not move in arcs but rather over two angular deflections, whereby delicate materials are damaged by striking against lateral guide. Moreover, the striking against the lateral guide inhibits the smooth flow of goods.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the outlined deficiencies of prior switches.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch which is easily manufactured and simply installed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a switch with pivotal rolls, some rolls being pivoted more than others when the switch is conditioned to divert moving objects from the main to the' branch conveyor.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a switch with a plurality of individually pivotable' rolls, the extent of pivoting in each roll being controlled by a single movable lever portion.

According to the invention, the switch comprises a plurality of adjacent T or inverted U-shaped rails having sheaths centrally located and disposed longitudinally at equal distances along the rails. Plastic sleeves are inserted into each sheath, the sleeves providing a passageway for bearing pins which are attached at one end to roll supporting forks. In switches for heavy loads, the roll forks have supporting rolls or side pieces therebelow and at both ends thereof. These bracing elements prevent excess stressing of the bearing pins. In the preferred T cross-sectional configuration, the sheaths are seated on the upright, and in the inverted U cross-sectional configuration, they are seated between the arms of the U and connected to these arms by ribs. At the lower end of the'bearing pin, extending beyond the sleeve, is an integrally formed pivoting lever which engages a circular bore in a setting lever to form an eccentric coupling means. The setting levers are pivotally attached at one end to a support and at the other end to a common crossbar. The rails are fixedly bolted at their ends to angle irons that constitute the end of the switch at the narrow sides. The open long sides are covered by U-sheets and the underside by a deck sheet. The pivoting of the setting levers is effected by means of the cross bar that connects to the setting levers at their free ends and is actuated either mechanically or manually. The number of rails depends upon the width of the roll train for which the switch is designed. Movement of the crossbar thus serves to throw the switch.

Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the original disclosure:

FIG. 1 is a cross section taken along line A-A through the roll train switch as seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the switch; 7

FIG. 3 is a vertical side elevational view of the entrance portion to the switch;

FIG. 4 is a side view of a portion of a T rail;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line BB through the rail of FIG. 4 showing, in addition, a roll fork equipped with supporting rolls; and

FIG. 6 is a front view of a U rail and a sheath.

The roll train switch shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises three rails ll, each of which is T-shaped in crosssection with a horizontal portion and a central vertical or upright portion 1. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the three rails are juxtaposed in side-by-side relation. Centrally located between the sides of the horizontal rail portion and evenly spaced therealong are integrally formed sheaths 2 which are so disposed to accept plastic sleeves 3 which pass through the horizontal section of rail 1 and into a sheath 2. The plastic sleeves 3 are formed of a low surface resistance substance, such as, for example of a low surface resistance substance, such as, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene.

An alternate form of rail is shown in FIG. 6 in which a rail 1 having an inverted U-shape cross-section is positioned with the open end of the U facing generally downwardly. Centrally located between the arms of the U is an integrally formed sheath 2 with a hole passing therethrough for accepting a sleeve 3. To provide further strength for the rail structure of FIG. 6, ribs 4 are joined to the U-shaped rail '1 and also to the sleeve 2.

Positioned above the plane formed by the horizontal portions of the rails l are a plurality of rolls 6, each roll 6 being rotatably supported about its axis of rotation by a roll supporting means in the form of a U-shaped fork member 5. Centrally located between he upwardly extending arms of the fork member 5 and extending downwardly from the horizontal portion thereof is a bearing pin 8. Each bearing pin 8 passes through the rail and through a sleeve 3 and extends beyond the lower end of each sleeve. At the lower end of each bearing pin 8 is a swinging arm or lever 9 which is normally integrally formed with the bearing pin 8 and which has a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the axis of thebearing pin 8. The end of the lever 9, remote from the-bearing pin 8 carries a bore engaging pin portion 10 having a longitudinal axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the lever portion 9 and parallel to the axis of the bearing pin 8. The pin portion 10 extends downwardly and into a circular bore formed in a setting lever 11. The levers 9 and pin portion 10 form an eccentric coupling means connecting the pins 8 to the setting members Ill. The setting levers 11 comprise elongated members, one of which is positioned below each of the rails ll. Each setting lever 11 is pivotally secured at one end to a holding device 13 which is pivotal about a pin 12. The other end of each of the setting levers 11 is articulatedly interconnected to a crossbar 14.

As seen in FIG. 2, the rolls 6 are positioned along each track 1 in a regular pattern. The operation of the roll train switch requires that the rolls 7 positioned above the leftmost track 1 and the rolls 6 positioned above the rightmost track 1 have a common axis of rotation when the rolls are positioned as shown in FIG. 2 in solid lines. The rolls 6 supported above the centermost track in FIG. 2 are located along an axis midway between and parallel to the axis of each of two pairs of rolls located above the outermost tracks 1, permitting the rotation of each roll 6 about its bearing pin 8 axis and preventing any roll 6 from striking any other roll.

In operation, the switch in FIG. 2 permits a roll train, depicted at 19 to move in the direction of the arrow and pass over both fixed rolls 15, located at opposite ends of the switch, whenever the rolls 6 are positioned as shown in solid lines. However, when the setting levers 11 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction about the pins 12, which can be accomplished through selective movement of the crossbar 14, the bore engaging pin portions will cause the levers 9 and their attached bearing pins 8 to rotate'within the sleeves 3 and cause the axis of rotation of each of the rolls to be changed. When the switch is thrown and the axis of each roll 6 is changed to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, a roll train on the main conveyor will be diverted on to a subconveyor as designated at 20.

in order to improve the weight handling capacity of the roll train switch, the forks 5 may be provided with support rolls 7, as shown in FlGpS. Each support roll 7 is attached to the underside of the U-shaped fork 5 in rolling contact with the upper surface of track 1. Consequently, the rolls 7 will share the weight placed upon each roll 6.

From the foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be clear that a roll train switch has been provided which overcomes the problems of the prior art devices mentioned above. The improvement is generally-achieved by a plurality of rotatably mounted rolls which are pivotally between two positions. The first position permits the roll train to continue along the main track without being diverted on to a subtrack. The second position of the plurality of rolls, however, changes the axes of rotation of the pivotable rolls to cause the roll train to be diverted on to a subtrack.

While the foregoing description has been directed to a particular invention and a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be clear to those of skill in the art that certain modifications in form only may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a roll train switch for switching a roll train from a main track to a subtrack, the improvement comprisa plurality of juxtaposed rails extending between separated sections of the main track;

a plurality of rotatable rolls disposed in spaced relation above and along each of said rails to form a spaced series of rolls extending longitudinally along each of said rails; the spacing of the series of rolls along any one rail being staggered with respect to the spacing of the series of rolls along the next adjacent rail;

each of said rolls having a length substantially equal to the width of the rail spaced beneath it;

roll supporting means for each of said rotatable rolls, said roll supporting means each including a pin member projecting downwardly through a rail;

a plurality of roll setting levers, one such setting lever being disposed beneath each rail;

eccentric coupling means connected between each pin member and its associated setting lever;

means for simultaneously moving said setting levers to cause said eccentric coupling means to turn said roll supporting means and the rolls supported thereby so that a roll train transversing said switch will be diverted from the main track onto the subtrack, each of said setting levers being pivotally mounted at one end thereof and being pivotally connected at the other end thereof to said means for simultaneously moving said setting levers;

said eccentric coupling means including an arm extending substantially perpendicularly from said pin member and a portion depending from said arm and being disposed within a bore in said setting lever;

said roll supporting means being formed as a forked member adapted to receive the supporting axle for each roll, said pin member depending centrally from said forked member; each of said rails including therebeneath, a plurality of integral sheaths, one such sheath surrounding a central hole through which a pin member passes through the rail; and a bearing sleeve being disposed within each said sheath in surrounding relation to the pin member passing therethrough.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein each rail is substantially T-shaped in cross-section with the top of the rail forming the top of the T, and with a central depending portion forming the leg of the T and containing the sheaths.

3. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein each rail is substantially an inverted U-shape with the sheaths being disposed between the downwardly extending arm portions and being connected thereto by strengthening ribs.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1 further including rollers attached to the underside of each forked member for rolling contact upon the upper surface of the rail. 

1. In a roll train switch for switching a roll train from a main track to a subtrack, the improvement comprising: a plurality of juxtaposed rails extending between separated sections of the main track; a plurality of rotatable rolls disposed in spaced relation above and along each of said rails to form a spaced series of rolls extending longitudinally along each of said rails; the spacing of the series of rolls along any one rail being staggered with respect to the spacing of the series of rolls along the next adjacent rail; each of said rolls having a length substantially equal to the width of the rail spaced beneath it; roll supporting means for each of said rotatable rolls, said roll supporting means each including a pin member projecting downwardly through a rail; a plurality of roll setting levers, one such setting lever being disposed beneath each rail; eccentric coupling means cOnnected between each pin member and its associated setting lever; means for simultaneously moving said setting levers to cause said eccentric coupling means to turn said roll supporting means and the rolls supported thereby so that a roll train transversing said switch will be diverted from the main track onto the subtrack, each of said setting levers being pivotally mounted at one end thereof and being pivotally connected at the other end thereof to said means for simultaneously moving said setting levers; said eccentric coupling means including an arm extending substantially perpendicularly from said pin member and a portion depending from said arm and being disposed within a bore in said setting lever; said roll supporting means being formed as a forked member adapted to receive the supporting axle for each roll, said pin member depending centrally from said forked member; each of said rails including therebeneath, a plurality of integral sheaths, one such sheath surrounding a central hole through which a pin member passes through the rail; and a bearing sleeve being disposed within each said sheath in surrounding relation to the pin member passing therethrough.
 2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein each rail is substantially T-shaped in cross-section with the top of the rail forming the top of the T, and with a central depending portion forming the leg of the T and containing the sheaths.
 3. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein each rail is substantially an inverted U-shape with the sheaths being disposed between the downwardly extending arm portions and being connected thereto by strengthening ribs.
 4. The improvement defined in claim 1 further including rollers attached to the underside of each forked member for rolling contact upon the upper surface of the rail. 